Cuddling Skills

[sandgrubber]

All my dogs go crazy with greeting in the morning and we spend 10 or 15 minutes stroking, scratching, and creating bedlam in the bed when I first wake up. But the range of dog behaviours is huge.

My present pup (17 months) wiggles up to me, lies still with max body contact, often putting her head across my lap. She will quite happily sit on my lap, or anyone's lap if they'll let her (she's a very muscular Labrador, so you notice when she sits on you). She rarely wags her tail, and almost never licks.

Her granddam doesn't get it. She wags her tail furiously, tromps all over me, and when she lies down she invariably puts her bum next to my face. She doesn't settle down for long . . . and despite many years trying to get her to stop, will not refrain from kisses, preferable to the face.

My first Labbie was shy of even coming on the bed, and never really learned to cuddle (she was GREAT and rough-housing and playing, though).

How do your dogs cuddle? Are they as variable as mine? And do the good the traits of the pup always persist into adulthood?

Edited May 3, 2011 by sandgrubber

[corvus]

Erik has always cuddled the same way. He cuddles with the same enthusiasm he approaches everything else in life. It makes me laugh, but sometimes it's really full on. He will squirm all over you and can't seem to decide if he wants you to stroke his head, rub his chest, hug him, or let him lick you into oblivion. He seems to change his mind every second and a half. But once he settles down a bit he just likes to spoon with you or curl up against or on your legs. He does still lick a lot, but he's just so cute.

Kivi likes to press as much of him as possible against as much of you as possible. I have woken up with my arms around him before. No idea how he does it, but he can somehow sneak up onto the bed in the dead of the night and settle down with his back against my front without me waking up. He then puts his head on my shoulder and makes happy grunty sounds. He plants kisses on your face every now and then when he's feeling particularly lovey dovey. He often feels lovey dovey, I think. Every time I put Erik in the car he waits for me to lean over to attach the tether and licks my face. I can see in his eyes he's going to do it. His kisses aren't too wet and yucky usually, though. He also likes to rest his head on your legs or belly. He snuggles Erik as well. He'll put a paw over him and nuzzle his ears very tenderly.

[Danois]

I have a 60kg dog who loves being in contact...

As a pup he was very big on sleeping on the pillows near my head and his has continued (he's now coming up 3). I will frequently wake up with him hard against my back or front - he arrives by stealth in the night! Its a bit harder to miss when he sits on you trying to get more pillow room. On the upside - he radiates lots of warmth!

He will frequently come and sit beside me on the couch - usually doing the whole dane sit with feet on the ground and lean against me for a cuddle.

If I'm standing, sometimes he'll come and sit beside me and smooch me with his head.

So yeah - he's a sooky cuddler

[Henrietta]

My grandmother's whippet is a world champion at cuddling. Whole body cuddles on the couch. If invited he will stand up on his back legs whilst you are on the couch and stretch his arms over your shoulder and nestle his face under your neck. Very, very affectionate dog. I'm actually not used to affection on this scale, so it was a bit of a shock at first.

Our staffy cross is quite good at cuddling up on the floor or couch and she is a great smoocher. She's been like this all her life. She just doesn't have the same gusto and enthusiasm as the whippet. She is graceful about it all whereas he is a tool. But she really wants to be around her people.

My chi x is not a cuddly dog really. She'll curl up with me to get warm and she loves her being massaged and scratched, but she's not a fan of cuddling up with you. Occasionally she will get a little sooky. Those moments are nice and pretty special. Edit - She does those lovely 'I love you' stretches quite often. That's just what I call them.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Henrietta

[Bracken]

My older dog Gwyn is very intense during cuddles. She'll walk up to you, stick her chin on your knee and stare at you until she starts getting pats. If that doesn't work she'll put a paw on your knee and beg for attention. If it's still not working she'll assume the human is faulty on that side and move around to their other leg to repeat the performance. Once you start patting her head she pivots around so that you're scratching her back above her tail (her absolute favourite scratching point). But she's not good at staying still or lying down for pats or cuddles. She always wants to know where other people in the house are so often jumps up to check.

My puppy Ziggy is really good at cuddles you can pick her up and she's squiggling around in your arms and being jumpy and then you roll her onto the bed and she turns into floppy jelly. Just wants to drape herself over your legs or snuggle up to you and snooze. Her only bad cuddle habit is when we return home or people visit us, she shadows our legs as we walk up to the door (doing the full-body wag) and occasionally collapses across our feet for a tummy rub. So you need to watch your step!

Overall she's the most lovey-dovey dog I've had out of my 3 (3rd dog was a golden retriever who loved people to go and sit next to her, or to just lye at your feet. But wasn't so forward in getting hugs)

[piperspal]

Magnum loves to have cuddles, but at 46kgs, he's getting to be a bit on the big side. But he will lean into you (esp if you are scratching his ears, that makes him groan in ecstacy)and then wrap a paw around your arm to hold you there. Only problem with that is they are big paws with big claws, and they leave great bruises. My work collegues have given up asking if the OH had been beating me again every time they see the marks the dog leave they didnt believe me so I bought the dog into work one day and they had a cuddle, they soon worked it out!!!!!

The next smallest, Addy, she loves her cuddles and will get in your lap if you let her, but she then sticks like a limpit and you cant get her off!!!! But she is the most smoochy dog, you dont even have to move, just have your arm over the edge of the chair and she walks back and forth like a cat.

Piper, toy poodle, is a lap dog, as long as you have a cushion on your lap she's there. She also does this thing where she will walk her front paws up your chest while you are on the couch, then lay the front half of her body down. Her bum stays in the air with the tail wagging, this puts her head next to yours, she wont look at you for a couple of seconds , then she turns her head and does the "Oh Hi!!!" and has to give you kisses.

Milo, the smallest, is a dangerous smoocher. He will jump up on your lap to have a cuddle and throw himself backwards to have his belly rubbed, which is great if you are expecting it, if not he is just as likely to throw himself off the couch!!!!!! But he cuddles in and grunts in satisfaction. Its so cute.

Just so you understand the sixe of the dogs......

Edited May 3, 2011 by piperspal

[W Sibs]

Emmy loves to cuddles. When she wants to be picked up.. she jumps up and then falls backwards as though we have to catch her. I didn't catch her once to see what she does, she falls over and tries it again. We rarely say no to her with her cuddles though. When we are sitting down, she comes sits beside us and offers her paws and if we accept her paw, she throws herself on us... and then she comes on our lay and rest her back on our chest and lays on us like that. It's a common to see her laying against someone at home. In bed, she lays right on top of me and her head resting on my shoulders.

Charlie only cuddles with me. When I'm sitting on the floor, he usually he lays beside me and rest his head against my leg. Though he will take a good scratch all over than a proper cuddle. In bed, he likes laying resting his head on my shoulder and I wrap my arms around him. He likes being snuggled close to me.

My 2 will cuddle with each other but about 90% of the time, it's end up with a bitey face game too. Emmy likes to groom Charlie any chance she gets through, I often see her cleaning Charlie's ear and his mouth. Charlie doesn't like it but he tolerates it. He often sits/lay there with the look of 'whatever' on his face... Charlie will sometimes rest his head on Emmy's body if she close by and she loves it when he does it.

Edited May 4, 2011 by CW EW

[Greytmate]

Woody loves to cuddle. He loves to sit in my lap and snuggle his head in my clothes, he just loves having his head squashed, and snuggles up really closely.

Coco doesn't like to be cuddled. She likes to run up, bow at me, lick my face, have her ears scratched and then she lies down by herself.

[Kelly_Louise]

Sasha's initial greeting... is mayhem. She licks, dances all over you, stands on your head, turns circles, tries to jam her face into yours, etc, all with tail wagging furiously.

Once she settles, she likes to be near you - some part of her touching, but sometimes not (mostly when she wants to sleep). As long as she is close. Sometimes, she will crawl over and put her face right near mine or rest it on my arm.

When she wants cuddles, she will come and sit face to face with me - that indicates cuddle time.

But mostly, she likes to lean. Whether you are sitting on the ground (where she will lean into your shoulder or stand over your lap and lean into your chest) or standing (where she will lean on your leg), she just likes to be touching you. It's very reassuring.

When i have been on the ground injured, her usual response is to first come and kiss - then stand over you... and I mean, right over you. Not sure if she is protecting, or trying to hide me in case she is to blame... but it's kind of like her lean, but with nothing to lean on so she just stands on top of you.

[Bjelkier]

I have Samoyeds, I would be worried if they didn't want to cuddle

Mistral likes to lay on you, full length and put his head on your chest or shoulder, Alchemy likes to snuggle right up beside you with her head in your lap or on you somewhere, Yngvie is a smoocher and likes to press his head against you and Dante still being a baby will steal your whole lap and curl up, chances are he will still try to do that when he is an adult

[Leelaa17]

Neither Max nor Jenna can sit still while cuddles... however they LOVE affection. max does the same as your Gwyn, Bracken... he will come and put his head in your lap, sometimes a paw and stare at you... after about 20seconds without getting attention he wanders off, comes back in five minutes and tries again.

He LOVES licking people, he constantly gets in my face to try and lick me (yes, ok, sometimes I let him). When he used to sleep with me he would always sleep at the end of the bed - he is very much the protector. He doesn't like it when I come and crowd him with cuddles and kisses, he whines, groans, grunts and then licks me to death.

Jenna does not lick. At all. Its very rare. She also hates being confined by hugs, she is worse than max with the whining, groaning, grunting etc... I think its adorable - the noises she makes...

In saying all of this though, they are both extremely affectionate. They will always lie as close as possible to me (most of the time). If I go outside, they go outside, if I come inside, they come inside. If I stand up, they stand up. If I even so much as move, they are looking at me to see what I do. they love being around me and in my company (I quite often talk to them like they are human beings - have conversations with them) - I see this as affection. It is enough for me that they love being in my company.

[wuffles]

My older boy does not cuddle. He is very particular about his personal space. He will lean on you and loves pats, but if you try lie down next to him he will get up and move and look at you like you're a nutter.

My girl loves cuddles, she likes to curl up in the crook of your legs or right on top of you. Although She hates pats/cuddles when she is training!

[Leelaa17]

My older boy does not cuddle. He is very particular about his personal space. He will lean on you and loves pats, but if you try lie down next to him he will get up and move and look at you like you're a nutter.

My girl loves cuddles, she likes to curl up in the crook of your legs or right on top of you. Although She hates pats/cuddles when she is training!

I love that. So often Jenna does that to me. Like 'what do you think you're doing you weirdo?' It makes me laugh because she's such a GIRL!!!!

[Bubitty]

Bitty was born to cuddle! She was always the puppy that would sleep on top of other puppies all snuggled in!

She is always cuddling up to someone in our family and even poor Bubby who is not a natural cuddler must cuddle with her! He often has this trapped look when she is asleep on him! Bitty loves any sort of personal contact or touch! She LOVES putting her head on our laps or lying on her back nuzzled into our laps!

Bubby has learned to be more cuddly over the years. I do think he does it because I like it and Bitty likes it but his is a more understated love!

Its interesting because both Bitty's mother and grandma are MASSIVE cuddlers! They were very much like her. Bubby's mum is more dignified and he reminds me of her! Its a quiet dignified love! Not so much a "I must lie on you and wriggle" love!

[dee lee]

Honey LOVES a cuddle, she is an absolute tart, but she gets too excited and it becomes an interactive sport!!

At nights I read to my daughters on one of their beds. They insist Honey must come up too, then we spend the next half hour with her wriggling and rolling on top of us while I'm trying to read!!

Much giggling & shrieking ensues.

I have sustained quite a bit of bruising from her lurve so most of the time I administer cuddles while I am on the couch and she is on the floor- its safer!

Often I will let her give me a standing full body hug- we both love it.

After a couple of tearful episodes when the kids tried it and fell over (on her back legs she is taller than them), she is only allowed to do it with me- or any other poor adult sucker she can entice!

[claireybell]

My beagle X is a HUGE cuddler and will get on my lap with her front paws around my neck and snuggle her head into my neck while I give her heaps of little kisses.

However my cocker will put her 2 front paws on my legs with her bottom on the couch and wait to have her chest stroked. She also likes the occassional zerbert

[Staranais]

How do your dogs cuddle? Are they as variable as mine? And do the good the traits of the pup always persist into adulthood?

My dog didn't cuddle as a baby, I had to teach her how.

[Naomi]

My pup is becoming a little bit more cuddlier each day. I'm loving it. I always loved affectionate dogs over independant dogs.

[SmoothieGirl]

Bronte is a bit weird. She's not a huge cuddler when she's up and awake, but like's to be close to me. When we are working, be it obedience, herding or agility she actually doesn't like to be touched very much at all, stroking isn't a thing she wants, she wants the verbal reward and a treat or play.

But... each morning when we wake up she lies stretched out with her whole body against me and LOVES a cuddle and tickles and strokes. Its a great bonding moment for us.

Ren is just a smoocher all over. I love lying next to him when he's snoozy and he'll roll over and play cuddles.

[Little Gifts]

My youngest is the only real cuddler I've ever had. When she was a pup I used to lie on the lounge with her on my chest, rubbing her while she was asleep. Big mistake now she has grown up because she can't sit or lie next to me - she still has to drape across as much of me as possible. Her fave position while we are watching tv is me reclining and her draped over one thigh but with her head back in to my body for maximum body contact. She is a huge kisser as well. It is nice after never having a dog that was such a smooch. In the mornings she jumps on my chest and scratches at the bedclothes for me to wake up. Then she flings herself on her back beside me so I can rub her inner thighs and chest. Yep, inner thighs are her fave spot. Also my bad because when she was a pup I'd put her on her back and blow raspberries everywhere till she squealed like a piglet.

I think our fun has rubbed off though as my sister's dog is a snooty thing yet after 3 years of living here she has just started enjoying proper cuddles from me. Prior to that it was just a few scratches on the bum before she wanted to be alone again.

PS What's a zerbert?

Edited May 4, 2011 by Puppy_Sniffer